Easy-Peasy Guide to Choosing the Best Motherboard for I7 6700k

The Intel Core i7-6700k Skylake is a quad-core processor that can run at 4.2 GHz and can process hi-def graphics, making it the perfect processor for mid to high level gaming rigs. Although this processor has been released more than a year ago, it is still one of the most popular processor models to date. If you want to make the best use of this powerful piece of tech, you need to choose the best motherboard for i7 6700k.

But before we go to the factors of consideration for the best choice, let’s first highlight the 3 best products on the market.​​

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Motherboard

Summary​

My Rating​

ASUS ROG MAXIMUS VIII HERO

This motherboard for an unprecedented audio experience in an integrated solution.

GIGABYTE GA-Z170X-Gaming 3

Types of 100-series Motherboards

There are many different kinds of 100-series motherboards (the ones compatible with the i7 processors) in the market these days, and choosing the best motherboard for i7 6700k can be confusing, especially for those who are new to PC building. To get you familiar with the products, here are the different types of 100-series motherboards.

Consumer Chipsets

These motherboards are for the casual and home PC users. These motherboards are the ones that you will commonly find in computer parts stores and are usually included with the bundled PC sets. The great thing about the 100 series motherboards with the consumer chipsets is that they are highly customizable and allows overclocking, which will let the user use the full potential of the processor. If you are looking to build a computer for gaming or for casual use, these are the best motherboard for i7 6700k that you can get.

Business Chipsets

These are the motherboards usually used as data servers of companies. Business chipsets also have more utilities than their consumer counterparts do, although they don’t allow for overclocking the processor. Some of the features you can find in business chipset motherboards include remote access to the PC even if it is powered down, secure networking capabilities, efficient virtualization technology (lets you run multiple operation systems on one machine), and a host of other capabilities.

Some Things to Consider When Choosing a 100 Series Motherboard

Even if you are only planning to purchase a motherboard for home use, you still need to take a couple of important things into consideration before you make your final choice.

1. Form Factor

Motherboards come in different sizes, and when choosing which size to go with, you need to first figure out just how many features you actually want. If you want to use a more compact CPU case that does not take too much space on your desk then you need to compromise with the smaller number of peripherals that the motherboard can accommodate. If you plan to use multiple external hard drives and a multiple monitor display then you need a larger motherboard that has more than enough hardware slots for all the things that you need.

2. RAM Capacity

If you want to future-proof your PC so you can use it longer without it slowing down on you then you need to buy the best motherboard for i7 6700k that can accommodate at least 16GB of RAM. If you are building a gaming rig, a motherboard with at least four memory slots are recommended, this way you can use two slots and still have room for when you want to add more later.

3. PCI Express Slots

For gaming PCs, the motherboard should have at least one high-speed PCI Express slot for the graphics card, and more if you’re planning on using multiple monitors. On the other hand, if you will only be using the computer for casual gaming and regular household uses like browsing the internet, you can make do with a motherboard with an on-board graphics card.

4. SATA Slots

If you are afraid that 2TB of hard disk space is not enough for your needs then the best motherboard for i7 6700k for you are those who have multiple SATA slots. This will allow you to install multiple hard drives and optical drives. If you are planning to use Solid State Drives, make sure that the motherboard you choose has SATA 3.0 slots, otherwise they will not work quite as well.

Top 3 Best Motherboard For i7 6700k Reviews

Now that you have an idea on what to look for, here are some of the best motherboard for i7 6700k that are currently available.

ASUS ROG MAXIMUS VIII HERO

Asus is one of the world’s leading manufacturers when it comes to computer parts and peripherals, and their ROG (Republic of Gamers) line is at the top of their offerings. The ROG Maximus VIII is one of their best motherboards to date.

​The ROG Maximus VIII is for gamers who are looking for the best audio performance. The Maximus VIII provides superior sound quality that immerses gamers in their virtual worlds.

​The ROG Maximus VIII Hero is the 3rd generation of the Asus ROG ATC motherboards that provides perfectly balanced performance that will suit all gaming enthusiasts. It has 5-way Optimization that allows the user to fine tune their rigs’ performance to their liking, and it also comes with the SupremeFX 2015 that provides crystal clear audio.

Pros

Integrated SupremeFX sound card can compete with most of the aftermarket expansions.

The 5-way optimization feature will allow you to squeeze every bit of performance from your machine.

Plenty of 4-pin fan connectors for additional cooling systems

Cons

The RAM slots are quite deep so you need to push the chips with a bit more force so they can connect properly.

The 4-pin fan connectors at the top are quite hard to access, which is bad news if you are planning on using a top-mounted fan.

For the price, and considering that the tech is almost two years old, the Asus ROG Maximus VIII Hero is certainly one of the best motherboard for i7 6700k. The optimization features and the onboard sound card will be more than enough for most gamers.

ASUS Z170-A ATX DDR4 Motherboards

Besides their top of the line ROG mobos, Asus also produces motherboards geared towards the intermediate users. The Asus Z170-A is a mid-range motherboard that is perfect for home use and for the casual gamers out there.

​The Z170-A is for those who want to build a gaming PC that can handle mid to high range graphics, but also want a sleek form factor that is easy to build on. All of the slots on this mobo are easy to access so you can fit as many peripherals as you want without worrying about bending your cables too tightly.

​The Asus Z170-A features a sleek black and white aesthetic that will fit most of the available chassis colors; it is perfect for those who don’t want PCs that are too over-the-top in terms of looks. It also comes with Asus’s patented 5-way Optimization feature that allows the user to tweak the performance of their rig.

Pros

The Z170-A is extremely easy to use. The motherboard will automatically overclock the i7 6700k to almost 95% of its capacity and allows for the easy control and optimization of all the attached cooling fans of the motherboard.

The motherboard automatically manages the systems energy consumption; it will even divert power from the slots that are not in use to save more energy.

All of the expansion slots are easy to access, making this one of the easiest to build on mobos in the market.

Cons

The BIOS can be iffy sometimes. There are some users who said that their boards did not recognize some of their peripherals (mostly USB connections and SATA slots).

Updating the BIOS can be quite tricky. Accessing the BIOS panel will require that you have extremely fast fingers or you will completely miss it.

The Asus Z170-A is one of the best motherboard for i7 6700k simply because of its ease of operation. Although it does have a couple of downsides, the benefits clearly outweigh them by a large margin.

GIGABYTE GA-Z170X-Gaming 3

Gigabyte is known for producing computer peripherals that are both durable and provides excellent performance, and their motherboards are the ones that gave them this reputation. The GA-Z170X-Gaming 3 is one of Gigabytes offerings to high-end gamers, and it is truly deserving of being one of the best motherboard for i700 6700k processors.

​The Z170X-Gaming 3 is one of Gigabyte’s top of the line gaming motherboards and is actually one of the most popular offerings that the company currently has. Just like their other mobos, this one is guaranteed to last for years even when used for high-end gaming and other taxing processes. This is perfect for people who want to build a PC that can handle intense graphics and ultra-fast frame rates.

​The Z170X-Gaming 3 boasts that it is the most durable gaming motherboards in the market. It also has more than enough slots to fulfill the needs of even the most discerning gamer. You can be sure that whatever additional peripheral you intend to add in the future, there will always be space for it on the motherboard.

Pros

Excellent durability Gigabyte is known for making high-quality motherboards that can last for many years even under heavy loads.

It comes with a USB Type-C Connector

One-click overclocking

Cons

It only has one connector for a system fan.

It can be quite expensive.

The biggest downside for the GIGABYTE GA-Z170X-Gaming 3 is its rather high price, but considering the fact that this is one tough motherboard that requires a lot of effort to actually break, it is a worthwhile investment and one of the best motherboard for i7 6700k.

Conclusion

The motherboard is the base wherein you will be placing all of the other parts that will make the desktop computer; therefore, if you don’t have the best motherboard for intel i7 6700k then you won’t be making use of the full potential of the powerful intel i7 processor.

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